Payphone
by AinsleyWright
Summary: This story is dedicated to my friend Pheo and Zayne. I hope you like it. It is based off of Payphone by Maroon 5. Spoiler Alert for It Started As A Game.


Zayne stumbled toward Phoenix, who had collapsed on her knees in front of an unmoving body of a girl. Getting closer, he froze, seeing the girl as Nicia, Phoenix's half-sister, with a dagger sticking out of her chest, Phoenix's fingers curled around the handle. Zayne froze, not believing what was in front of him. For a moment, rage boiled inside him and he loathed Phoenix, for siding with Kronos and then murdering her half-sister in cold blood.

But then he heard Phoenix… sobbing. Zayne softened considerably and he limped over toward her, seeing Phoenix hang her head over her dead half-sister's body, body shaking as she wept heavily, hands holding the dagger handle in a death grip, as if to pull free the blade.

"I'm so sorry," Zayne whispered, crouching down next to her and resting a hand on her shoulder for comfort. Phoenix surprisingly jerked her shoulder away, paying her last respects before taking off. Zayne looked up to see what scared her, and saw Annabeth, Percy, and a few other campers rushing over.

**xXx**

Zayne searched around Mount Olympus, hoping to find Phoenix. As if by luck, he did, seeing her standing with Ainsley and Matilda, all three speaking to Zeus. Zayne winced, seeing that Zeus was not at all pleased with them for siding with Kronos. Heaving a sigh, Zayne stayed back, waiting for a chance to speak with his Arizona.

Zeus soon turned and left, heading toward the other gods and goddesses. Matilda and Ainsley drifted off, leaving Phoenix alone. Quickly, he slipped over to her, feeling a little off set when she didn't even turn to greet him. "Hey, Arizona," Zayne spoke softly, standing next to her. "Why did you go to Kronos' army?"

"Kronos put a spy in Camp," Phoenix replied tersely. "So, we decided to spy in his army."

"Oh… okay…" he murmured, feeling hurt that Arizona had not bothered to tell him where she disappeared off too. "How are you faring?"

"You mean after I watched my half-sister get killed in front of me and now having most campers believed I killed her, just fine," Phoenix snapped sarcastically, causing Zayne to tense and bristle.

"Well, sorry for caring," Zayne retorted, irritated with his girlfriend's cold behavior. Phoenix flashed a glare to him, and Zayne felt guilty quickly. "Look, I'm sorry, it's just-"

"Save it!" Phoenix snarled, stalking away suddenly, leaving Zayne standing there in confusion and hurt.

**xXx**

Later, as Zayne sat in the back of one of the white vans, sitting near Nico and Niall, thinking deeply about Arizona's reaction to him. "Hey, guys," he spoke. "Did you hear about why Ainsley, Matilda, and Phoenix sided with Kronos?"

Nico and Niall exchanged a glance before Niall said carefully, "Oh… uh… they told us when we found them in New York during the lunch."

Zayne stared at them in surprise. "You mean they told you?"

Now, it was their turn to be shocked. "We thought Phoenix told you already!"

Zayne sighed and slumped in his seat, more wounded by the fact Arizona didn't trust him enough to tell him what she was planning.

**xXx**

Once back at camp, Zayne booked it toward the Big House, needing to speak with his Arizona more than ever. Opening the door and slipping inside, closing it behind him, Zayne was startled to see Phoenix carrying her backpack. "Where are you going?" He demanded, sharper then intended.

Phoenix bristled and glared at him, stormy gray eyes narrowed. "I'm going home to stay with my dad for a while."

Zayne blinked and murmured, "Arizona… what else happened?" She said nothing as she pushed past Zayne and out into Camp, heading toward Thalia's Pine. Zayne stared after her sadly, seeing that Phoenix had just ended their relationship.

**xXx**

**Zayne's POV**

I stood in front of a payphone, fishing out more quarters to feed it, trying to get ahold of Phoenix. Quickly, I popped in two and dialed up what I hoped was Phoenix's number. As if the Fates were listening, it was indeed her number, and I almost jumped in glee. Holding my breath, I kept the phone to my ear, listening to the ringing on the other end.

Just as I was about to give up, the phone was picked up and a voice said, "Hello?"

I frowned, this wasn't Phoenix's voice! Then I realized who it was. "Oh… hi, Ainsley. Is Phoenix there? I want to talk to her."

Silence filled the other end before Ainsley spoke. "Sorry, but I don't think this is the best time for you to be talking to her." Her voice sounded gentle, sympathetic even.

"Alright," I sighed sadly. "Please tell her that I miss her."

"I will," Ainsley promised before hanging up the phone. I clutched the phone still, hoping for a call. Heaving out a sigh, I hung up the phone and walked away, hands tucked into the pockets of my jeans.

**xXx**

Soon, I was back at camp, walking along the lake shore before sunset. But that wasn't what was bothering me; it was the fact that Phoenix had yet to call me or even come close to Camp. I stopped and stared out over the water, missing my Arizona, even if she broke it off.

Thinking about all the change I lost trying to call her, I couldn't help it as I started singing softly. "I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change I spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?"

I sat down in the sand, stretching out my legs in front of me."Yeah, I, I know it's hard to remember, the people we used to be… it's even harder to picture, that you're not here next to me."

Sucking in a breath, I continued. "You say it's too late to make it, but is it too late to try? And in our time that you wasted, all of our bridges burned down.

"I've wasted my nights; you turned out the lights, now I'm paralyzed. Still stuck in that time when we called it love, but even the sun sets in paradise." Blinking back tears, I watched the sun set, bleeding into the water.

"I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change, I spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?"

I heard the distant signing in the night, and I knew that almost everyone gathered around the camp fire.

"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this. All those fairy tales are full of it, one more stupid love song I'll be sick."

I stuck my hand in my front pocket and fished out a crumpled photo. Stretching it out, I gazed at the picture in the dimming light, seeing Arizona smiling and laughing, standing next to me.

"You turned your back on tomorrow, 'cause you forgot yesterday. I gave you my love to borrow, but you just gave it away." I couldn't help but let a bitter note slip into these words.

"You can't expect me to be fine; I don't expect you to care. I know I said it before, but all of our bridges burned down.

"I've wasted my nights; you turned out the lights, now I'm paralyzed. Still stuck in that time when we called it love, but even the sun sets in paradise…"

With a sniffle, I stuffed the photo back into my pocket.

"I'm at a payphone trying to call home, all of my change, I spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?

"If happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this. All those fairy tales are full of it, one more stupid love song, I'll be sick. Now I'm at a payphone…"

I stood up and brushed the sand off of my jeans, flicking the grains off my hands and rubbing my teary eyes. After, I turned and walked back toward the cabins, hands stuffed in my jeans and head down.

"I'm at a payphone trying to call home, more of my change, I spent on you. Where have the times gone? Baby, it's all wrong, where are the plans we made for two?

"I happy ever after did exist, I would still be holding you like this. All those fairy tales are full of it, one more stupid love song, I'll be sick. Now I'm at a payphone…"

Slinking into my empty cabin, I climbed up the stairs and curled up in my bed, closing my eyes, pulling out the picture of me and Arizona before we broke up and clutched it to my chest.


End file.
